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Maine Forest Collaborative Mid-May Newsletter

CONGRATULATIONS TO TCTC STUDENTS!

Students from both this year and last year placed amazingly at the Future Farmers of America Competition! They are off to Nationals in Indianapolis in the fall!

First Place Team in Environmental Science:

Ian Saunders, Lily Wintle, Addy Gudroe, Nate Galligan

First Place Team in Forestry:

Topher McGuinness, Autumn Picard, Lily Geary, Burleigh Rowe

Outstanding FFA Member of the Year: Hiram Butler

Environmental Science Individual Awards:

1st Place: Ian Saunders

2nd Place: Nate Galligan

4th Place: Addy Gudroe and Lily Wintle

Forestry Individual Awards:

1st Place: Topher McGuinness

2nd Place: Lily Geary

3rd Place: Autumn Picard

4th Place: Burleigh Rowe


HIGH SCHOOL

We had a fabulous cohort day yesterday where Telstar High School, Schenck High School, Tri County Technical Center, and Piscataquis Community Secondary School shared their final projects (check out their presentations below!). All schools completed amazing and unique projects this year and did an excellent job presenting. Thank you also to our community partners who were able to join us yesterday in support of

students, and to our funders who helped this year to become a reality!


MIDDLE SCHOOL

We are getting ready for our cohort 5/28 for middle school at UMaine Orono. 

Teachers, please be sure to send home permission slips and arrange transportation. Teachers, please let me know if you are ready for digital feedback on your presentations! We look forward to seeing student presentations next week! 


A QUICK HIGHLIGHT!

Check out this article highlighting one of our amazing collaborators this year from UMaine and MEEA, Amir Colbert-Stone! 

Amir has worked with both PCSS MS and Greenville MS students on their projects this year through his role as a MEEA fellow, and has been working with MFC since the fall on a research project, along with the talented Lydia Horne and Katie Flood who have also been incredibly helpful this year! 

We are so grateful to have worked with such wonderful partners this year! 


In the News

The robot that frames a house in a day - and it ships to site too!  

A UK startup has built a portable timber framing robot that ships to site in a container — and the global construction industry is starting to pay attention.-->>> Full Article


The evolution of Maine's bioproducts industry  

Maine’s forests, stretching across 89 percent of the state, have long been the backbone of its economy, sustaining generations of loggers, truckers, and mill workers. 


Despite headwinds, Maine's outdoor recreation sector hits record $3.9B

In 2024, Maine’s outdoor recreation industry generated $3.9 billion in value-added, accounting for 4% of the state’s GDP and supporting more than 32,000 jobs, according to the latest data from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Economic Analysis.


Funding Opportunities

Greenhouse Grant

The Maine department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry's Community Greenhouse Grant is open for application! The purpose of this funding opportunity is to deliver the greatest measurable benefit by enhancing food production opportunities through investments in shared, educational-use, durable greenhouses.

This RFA provides instructions on how schools, community centers, non-profit organizations, and other public entities may apply for one-time grant funding for durable greenhouse structures and associated siting and installation costs. 

Eligibility to Apply: Schools, colleges, universities, non-profit organizations, community centers, municipalities, and public entities located in Maine are eligible to apply.

Funding Available: DACF anticipates awarding up to $500,000 through this grant opportunity.

Award Range: Award ranges will be between $10,000 and $100,000

Application Deadline: May 22, 2026, no later than 12:00 p.m.


For Teachers

RiSE Center Professional learning opportunity open to Maine high school science, mathematics or STEM teachers

Join University of Maine faculty for a STEM content session guided by inquiry and accessibility. You won't just learn about the content—you will experience it through hands-on explorations, small group discussions, and other active learning approaches. Participants will have the opportunity to discuss strategies for scaffolding these complex topics, making them both rigorous and accessible for their students. You may select to attend 1 of our 4 faculty-led content sessions. Each 3-day session will run July 27–29, 2026: Monday (9 a.m.–3:30 p.m.), Tuesday & Wednesday (8:30 a.m.–3:15 p.m.)

There is no cost to attend this event, lodging and breakfast will be provided for those traveling over 65 miles and participating teachers will receive a stipend of $630 for full participation. Contact hours and lunch are included as well. Register for the session you desire once you add the event to the cart.

Force and Motion by Inquiry

Workshop leader: Dr. MacKenzie Stetzer, Associate Professor of Physics & Astronomy and RiSE Center Member

While the topics of force and motion are typically covered in introductory physics and physical science courses, students often find this material to be quite challenging. Some students are tempted to focus on memorizing lots of specific equations rather than engaging in physical sensemaking and ascribing physical meaning to those equations. In this content immersion, key concepts in kinematics and dynamics will be built from the ground up through a process of inquiry involving basic experiments and exercises, with an emphasis on sensemaking. Many of the strategies highlighted in this immersion have been successfully incorporated into physics and physical science courses for both high-school and middle-school students.

Teaching the Reasoning of Science (with examples from Chemistry)

Workshop Leader: Dr. Mitchell Bruce, Professor of Chemistry and Rise Center Member and Zoe Prats, PhD Student in STEM Education

Reasoning plays a vital role in innovation and the advancement of science. In this workshop, we explore how scientists reason about the submicroscopic domain—things that cannot be directly sensed—by constructing representations. Participants will work in teams to complete inquiry activities and reflect on how curricular materials, teacher knowledge, student engagement, and assessment can work together to make this reasoning explicit for students. Discussions will include teaching practices and how introducing this frame may provide students support for scientific reasoning.

Mathematical Models in our World: Sun, Sea, and the Sky

Workshop Leader: Justin Dimmel, Interim Director of The Maine Center for Research in STEM Education (RiSE Center), Associate Dean for Academics and Student Engagement, and Associate Professor of Mathematics Education and Instructional Technology, College of Education and Human Development

By embedding mathematical activity in the familiar experiences of the natural world, such as looking out to the horizon, observing light and shadow, or gazing at the night sky, we create opportunities for participants to engage in active mathematical modeling. This content immersion will feature outdoor mathematics labs (weather permitting), and participants will experience these activities as an active learner. Participants will also engage in group discussions on how to embed mathematical activity in our everyday experiences of nature. Time will be allotted to reflect on how to embed these outdoor labs into existing curricula and boost student engagement.

The Sun and the Weather: A Solar-Powered Weather Station

Workshop Leader: Dr. Nuri Emanetoglu, Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Engineering and RiSE Center Member

Solar energy can be used to power homes, businesses, towns, or a remote weather station. The principles of designing and using a photovoltaic electricity generation system will be introduced through a sample project based on an automated weather station powered with a solar panel and a battery backup. Skills gained, or reinforced, will include circuit design and analysis, circuit construction and testing, and programming using Circuit Python (or Arduino Uno).

Registration is open through July 10, 2026.


Teachers on the Estuary!

The Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve is offering a free three-day in-person Teachers on the Estuary workshop for up to twelve educators July 14-16, 2026! Participants receive $150 worth of equipment to use with their students and a $150 stipend. Teachers traveling a distance will also receive free lodging in Wells. The workshop will be geared towards middle and high school teachers, though others who feel they can adapt content for their audience are welcome to apply. We'll delve into water quality and weather monitoring, vegetation sampling, nature journaling, and marine debris investigations, while exploring the marsh and intertidal habitats on foot and the estuary by kayak.

 
 
 

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